** biographical details on boys clothing: Camillo Olivetti








Biographical Details on Boys' Clothing Styles: Camillo Olivett (Italy, 1868-1943)


Figure 1.--This family portrait looks to have been taken after World War I about 1920. Camillo Olivetti married Luisa Revel. They had six children (figure 1). In the back row of the portrait here we can see Massimo, Laura, Elena and Adriano. In the front row are Dino and Silvia. Dino, the younger boy was born in 1912. He is wearing an open-necked shirt with short trousers and open-toe sandals.

Camillo Olivetti was born in Ivrea, Italy (August 1868). We have no information about his childhood at this time. We do not know about his early education, but he attended the Politecnico di Torino. He studied under Galileo Ferraris. He graduatied with a focus on engineering. He went to England where he worked in a London factory to gain practical experience. England at the time was the most heavily industrialized country. He joined the socialist party while in England. Besides engineering, Olivetti was interested in cocial cencers, including federalism, local autonomy and democratic institutional reform. Olivetti was aare industrialist with such interests. While we do not have much information on his childhood, we do have some informaztion on his family. Olivetti became one of Italy's most important industrialists and a social reformer.

Parents

The Olivettis were a wealthy Jewish family.

Childhood

Camillo Olivetti was born in Ivrea, Italy (August 1868). We have no information about his childhood at this time.

Education

We do not know about his early education, but he attended the Politecnico di Torino. He studied under Galileo Ferraris. He graduatied with a focus on engineering. He went to England where he worked in a London factory to gain practical experience. England at the time was the most heavily industrialized country.

Political Interests

Loivetti joined the socialist party while in England. Besides engineering, Olivetti was interested in cocial cencers, including federalism, local autonomy and democratic institutional reform. Olivetti was a rare industrialist with such interests. It is likely that his Jewish heritage was a factor here.

America

Olivetti accompanied his former teacher, Galileo Ferraris, to an electricity congress in Chicago (1893). That was presumably associated with the Chicago World's Fair. He attended courses in physics at Stanford University in California. He became professor's assistant in electrical engineering

Italian Industry

Olivetti returned to Ivrea wher he established the C.G.S. (centimetro, grammo, secondo) company. This was a manufacturer of electrical measuring equipment. The company later was moved to Milan, a much larger city. Olivetti later returned to Ivrea again (1907). This time he founded the Ing. C. Olivetti e C. (1908). The company was the first to build typewriters entirely in Italy. Production began with twenty people trained by Olivetti in courses held in his nearby house--the "Convento".

Family

While we do not have much information on his Olivetti's childhood, we do have some information on his family. Camillo Olivetti married Luisa Revel. She was the daughter of the Pastor of the Reformed Church of Ivrea. In later years of his life, Camillo joined the Unitarian Church. They had six children (figure 1). In the back row of the portrait here we can see Massimo, Laura, Elena and Adriano. Adriano studied in the United States. In the front row are Dino and Silvia. Dino, the younger boy was born in 1912. He is weating an open-necked shirt with short trousers and open-toe sandals. This is an example of summer clothing of a wealthy boy. At the time open toe sandals are not so common as they became later. Working class children wore shoes or clogs or they went barefoot.

World War I

Italy debated about entering World War I and finally entered on the Allied side (1915). The Olivetti company largely shifted to war production (artillery fuses and magnetoelectric aircraft equipment).

Inter-War Era

Olivetti resumed typewriter production after the War with the M20 model. Camillo Olivetti constructed the foundry (1922). Olivetti founded the Officina Meccanica Olivetti (OMO) Company (1926). OMO produced machine tools personally designed by Olivetti. The first product was a "sensitive drill" and was followed by milling machines, grinders and other special equipment for the production of typewriter parts. When Adriano returned from his studies in America, they began reotganizing the company's factory operations, attempting to introduce more efficient American assembly line methods. They also worked on improving the sales network. They set up branches and subsidiaries both within and outside Italy. Olivetti opened its first overseas subsidiary, in Barcelona, Spain (1929). This was hardly aorpitious time to expand with the Wall Street Crash. The Company was a rare success story during the ensuing Depression. Unlike most other companies, they did not lay off workers. As Olivetti grew older, he began to shift more management responsibility to Adriano. He was nore interested in technical matters and continued to work with design and production, especially projects for new typewriters. He also worked with the first office furniture line (Synthesis), teleprinters, and adding machines. Olivetti finally resigned as company chairman and Adriano assumed control of the company. He continued to be involved with managenent, but devoted much of its time to worker social services. And he continued to manafe the machine tool facility.

World War II

Some of Olivetti's idea were reflected in the Fascist Corporate state. Mussolni with his ideas of national glory could not resist joining his Axia ally, Germany, in World War II (June 1940). Olivetti considered this a terrible mistake, He published highly critical pamphlets clandestinely in which he proposed radical social, financial and industrial reforms. The War proved a disaster for Italy. After the loss of Sicily July 1943), the Fascist Grand Council arrested Musollini, but when the Government surrended to the Allies (September 1943), the Germans invaded and occupied Italy, People seen as subversive like Olliveti had to go into hiding. Olivetti being Jewish was in great danger asnf the Germans began rounding up Jews. This proved to be difficult as many Italians hid Jews from the Germans and Fascist militias, Many Hews were deported and killed, but the Holocaust in Italy was not as deadly as in many other occupied countries. The children were safe because their mother was Christian and under the Nusollini's Manifesto of Italian Racism were half Jews. Thus they were not subject to deportation. Olivetti who was in failing health hid in the Niella area. He died in Biella hospital (December 1943).







HBC






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Created: February 9, 2004
Last updated: 12:43 AM 7/15/2006